• Pens — seniors should always have their own pen handy — pens shared in public areas carry a ton of germs.

• Lysol or other disinfectant spray — to spray doorknobs, handles, light switches, etc... at least once a week — viruses can live up to 48 hours on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.

• Hand soap — recent studies show plain soap and water works just as well, if not better, than antibacterial soaps.

• Hand sanitizer wipes — these are handy to have on-the-go, whether to clean hands or public surfaces. Don’t rely on just baby wipes because they do not contain the proper ingredients to kill viruses and germs.

Places seniors should avoid because they carry the most germs include:

• Public restrooms — especially the sink where bacteria can survive there the longest. (Source: University of Arizona study)

• The mall — especially food court tables — the rags used to “clean” can spread harmful bacteria — they can contain E. coli because they are not cleaned or changed regularly. (Source: Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University)

• Grocery stores — this is where many people go when they are sick, whether to get some OJ, chicken noodle soup, or medicine — also grocery cart handles — About 70 to 80 percent of the shopping carts tested nationwide had E. coli, says Charles Gerba, Ph.D., University of Arizona.

• Restaurants — one of the dirtiest areas is the table top due to the “clean” rag used to wipe them down.

• Libraries — some of the dirtiest areas are the books, computers and tabletops, just from the many people who touch them each day. (Source: Lifescript)